Character Analysis of The Duchess of Malfi
Daniel de Bosola
He is the villain of the tragedy. He is a criminal hired by Ferdinand to spy on the remarriage of the Duchess. Bosola is such a hired murder who does not hesitate to kill anyone. He is corrupted, cynical, melancholic, deceptive, and cunning.
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Ferdinand
Ferdinand is the Duke of Calabria and the twin brother of the Duchess. He hires Daniel de Bosola as the spy. He is terribly furious, greedy, lustful, corrupted, and powerful. Finally, he himself is overtaken by insanity.
The Cardinal
The Cardinal is cynical and calculated elder brother of the Duchess and Ferdinand. He keeps an illegal mistress named Julia who is the wife of Castruccio.
The Duchess
The Duchess is the widowed Duchess of Malfi. She is disappointed because of the premature death of her Duke and her brothers have imposed a prohibition on her for remarriage. She is the symbol of a fertile woman and heroism because she begets three children avoiding all restrictions.
Antonio Bologna
Antonio Bologna is the loyal steward of the Duchess of Malfi. He is loved by the Duchess and married secretly in presence of Criola who is the loyal maidservant of the Duchess.
Delio
Delio is one of the most important courtiers at Malfi. A good-hearted gentleman, he remains loyal to Antonio and the Duchess. In the final scene, he enters with the eldest son of the Duchess.
Castruccio
Castruccio is one of the important courtiers at Malfi. He is a courtier under Ferdinand and Julia’s older husband. He represents the cuckolded fool.
